£9,000 scholarship helping local people go to university

11 March 2019

Every year the Curo Scholarship enables another Curo resident to go to university or continue their studies. The award, worth £9,000 over three years, is there to help Curo customers access degree-level education.

Curo Employability Services Manager Sarah Davies said: “The Curo Scholarship is part of our Work Wise service that’s helping people into work and training in a multitude of ways. The award comes with no strings attached – our scholars can study anything they like and there’s no expectation that they enter a specific line of work.”

The scholarship is also open to people already at university, like 19-year-old Eren Balkir who is reading International Relations and History at the London School of Economics.

“I’m the first in my family to go to university,” said Eren, “but it was never a difficult choice for me personally. I was well-read as a kid and academically-minded at school. My father had always emphasised to me, as someone who had left school very young, that education was the key to life, and opened doors that were shut to people like him.

“My mum told me about the scholarship and badgered me to apply. She’s a Curo housing tenant in Combe Down. I was already half-way through my first year at the London School of Economics when I applied for the scholarship. Living in London is very expensive, and the extra money the scholarship gives makes a real difference.

“The money has allowed me to do more activities that I couldn’t have if my budget was as constrained. London has so much on offer, from various cultural festivals, museums, society events and sports, but a lot of these opportunities cost a fair amount.

“I bought a bus pass with the money and that’s encouraged me to go around the city more, and books for my course. It has also allowed me to plan for my upcoming Exchange year abroad, things like flights and accommodation.”

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